So how do you deal with witches sneaking into dd's bedroom at night?

As I've mentioned in a previous thread, dd (4) is a little unsettled at the moment due to lots of changes in her life.

Dd is convinced that there are witches sneaking into her bedroom at night and making things fly round her room, she's cried about it a couple of times a night the last 4 nights running, I've tried checking her cupboards, under the bed etc to show her there's nothing there, she says they sneak back in again once i leave the room, tried shutting the window but a) its too hot and b) she says they can open it and I've tried reading her stories about nice witches but she says that the ones in her room are definitely nasty witches.

Obviously I don't actually believe there are witches sneaking into her room but she is absolutely convinced, any ideas how to reassure her?

My parents used to say "the words" when I was scared of the very same thing at that age. I blame The Witch In The Cherry Tree, which was a favourite story of my DSis at the time. The fact that we had a cherry tree in the front garden didn't help.

The words (I still remember them) were:Hocus pocus what not notWitches must not not notCome into ET's room when ET is there. (Obv they used my actual name)

It worked - no witches ever came in.

As an aside, my dad tended to substitute "witches" with "Margaret Thatcher", so I grew up thinking she was an actual broomstick-wielding pointy-hat-wearing witch. <<outs herself totally>>

When DS1 had problems with witches and monsters a good fairy sent him some fairy dust (glitter in a pretty little jar) which he sprinkled around. He also had some fairy cream at one point which was if I remember correctly body glitter.

Just because a child knows monsters aren't real in the light of day, doesn't mean they won't convince themselves there's a witch at the window when they're alone at night. 'Knowing' there was no wolf behind the door made no difference to me, and I'm sure that's true of many children.

How would you convince a child they're not real though? I mean actually convince them enough for them to know that in the middle of the night?

My older ds is a very smart, lovely child but has absolutely no imagination at all so I've never had to deal with this sort of thing before where as dd has a very vivid imagination and can describe these witches in great detail.

By the way, have you checked that there isn't a toy or an object or something fluttering in the window draught/casting a shadow that actual looks or sounds scary? A daddy long legs in the room, a street light flickering or branch outside flapping? A mouse in the wall? Sometimes fears are based on real things and imagination makes it terrifying. Ad the light summer nights means more noise and light outside.

'Protection' devices work much better than rationalism for kids when the problem is an ^irrational' one. They work just as well on dim-witted adults, really (Power of PrayerFFS). So get your DD a 'witch-repellant' spray or a special protective teddy or recite a No Bad Things poem every night.

We fortunately haven't had to deal with the darker side so much, but all my dc have very vivid imaginations with belief in fairies, imaginary friends etc. Their beliefs are v real and strong. Even when I tell ds that I'm sure his friend wouldn't say/ do that he will get more upset as he then thinks I think he is lying. He will be more earnest and urgent in his assertions.

I would say to try the above ideas, but maybe escalate them as necessary, so one idea a night until you find the tipping point, which may change as the 'witches' become immune.

I agree about repellent sprays/talismans. Something else that I did with DS1 was to get a very intimidating friend of mine to come along and say a short poem warding off the nasties in his room forever. DC1 watched her and that was it, no more nasties bothering him.

Yes don't try to convince her they aren't real, it just won't work. DS got very upset when I tried but as soon as I said mummy doesn't let monsters in the house, he was quite happy. Mummy's rules are enough apparently!

I slept on the floor if mine came in scared,until the stage passed.I found with both the stage did pass quite quickly.

I know that's not for everyone but it worked for me.

I suppose it's because I remember lying in bed scared rigid as a child,terrified of the monsters but also too afraid to disturb my parents again.I still remember the feeling of just wishing someone was there with me,because I knew that would make it all ok.

Oh and when mine felt brave enough for me to stay in my own bed,I set up a baby monitor so they knew that if they woke up scared they didn't need to be able to get out of bed,if that was too scary - they just needed to speak and say 'Mum,I'm scared' or something and they knew I would hear them and come.